Child&#39;s jumper seat



Oct. 30, 1962 D. BERLIN 7 3,061,261

CHILD'S JUMPER SEAT Filed Sept. 28, 19 0 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. DANIEL BERLIN ATTORNEYS- Oct. 30,1962 D. BERLlN 3,061,261

CHILD'S JUMPER SEAT Filed Sept. 28, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

DANIEL BERLIN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,061,261 CHILDS JUMPER SEAT Daniel Berlin, 4424 Paul St., Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Sept. 28, 1960, Ser. No. 58,932 9 Claims. (Cl. 248-399 This invention relates to a childs jumper seat and particularly to such a seat that is foldable.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved childs jumper seat that is foldable.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved childs jumper seat that is convenient to fold for storage or transport and convenient to unfold for use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved childs jumper seat that is safe and reliable in use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved childs jumper seat that is economical to manufacture, effective and safe in use, and that lends itself to attractive design.

In accordance with this invention, a childs jumper seat is provided that comprises -a seat frame, a base, and means resiliently and .foldably connecting the seat to the frame. This connecting means includes a plurality of linking means pivotally connected to said base and seat frame so as to permit them to move together and apart generally parallel, a spring pivoted to the base, and a brace connected between the seat frame and spring. In one pivoted position of the spring, the brace is positioned transversely to and between the seat frame and spring to yieldably restrain movement of the seat frame toward the base, and, in another spring position, the brace is positioned to permit seat frame and base to have together.

The foregoing and other objects of this invention, various features thereof, as well as the invention itself both as to its organization and mode of operation may be more fully appreciated from the following description when read together with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a childs jumper seat embodying this invention and illustrated in condition for use;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a simplified side elevation view of the jumper of FIG. 1 illustrating the relation of parts when the jumper is latched in condition for use;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 illustrating the unlatched condition to start folding the jumper;

FIG. 5 is a View similar to that of FIG. 3 illustrating the partly-folded condition; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 illustrating the fully-folded condition.

In the drawing, corresponding parts are referenced throughout by similar reference numerals.

The baby jumper illustrated in the drawing includes a seat frame 10, a base 12, and a connecting linkage 14. The seat frame includes a U-shaped member 16 formed as a bent aluminum tube. A wire bail 18 is bent in a U-shape to form the frame of a back rest and bent at its ends and pivotally inserted and fastened to the open ends of the frame member 16 and also to tubular connecting links 20 and 22. The back rest bail 18 is bent in a U-bend 24 that extends below the frame member 16 when erect to form a limit stop as noted below.

A wire rod 26 extends between the arms of the frame member 16 at intermediate portions thereof and is pivotally fatsened to tubular connecting links 28 and 30. A plurality of colored counting beads 31 are rotatably and slidably mounted on the rod 26. Between the rod 26 and the front of the frame member 16, a plastic tray 32 is removably attached.

3,061,261 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 A fabric sling seat 34 is mounted on the seat frame 10 by way of side loops 36 snapped around the arms of the frame member 16 and a loop 38 from a crotch strap snapped around the rod 26. The back of the sling seat is formed as an inverted pocket to receive the U-shaped ball 18, and acts as a yieldabl'e back rest.

The base 12 includes a U-shaped aluminum tube 40 Whose arms are substantially longer and spaced some what more than those of the frame member 16. At the forward and rear of the arms of the base tube 40, rubber cushions 42 are secured. The connecting links 20 and 22 are pivotally connected to the open ends of the base tube 40. These links 20, 22 are bent forward near the lower ends thereof so that they have the effect of links that extend further back thereby to increase the stability of the :base without a corresponding increase in length.

The connecting link-s 28 and are also pivoted at their lower ends to the base tube 46 and at points spaced from the open ends of the base tube silnilarly as the pivot points on the seat frame member 16. The links are connected inside the arms of the base 40 and outside of the arms of seat frame 16. Also pivoted to base tube 40, between the arms thereof and between the forward and rear links, is a U-shaped rectangular spring bar 44, the bent ends thereof extending around the outside of the arms of the base 40. A latch bar 46 is pivoted to the base 40 at the pivot pin of the link 28 and has a notch cut in the side thereof to latchingly engage the broad and narrow edges of the spring bar 44 when in its forwardly pivoted position. The latch bar 46 is manipulated by a bent offset portion 50.

Connected to the central portion of the spring bar 44 is a metal strap bent into a hinge loop 52 that rotatably receives the apex of a U-shaped wire bail 54. The upper ends of this bail 54 are bent to form horizontally extending pins 56 that are pivotally connected .to the upper ends of the rear connecting links 20, 22. These pins 56 extend within the arms of the seat frame rnenrber 16 and each forms a limit stop against which rests the U-bend 24 in each end of the back rest bail 18 when the latter is erect.

In the assembled condition of the jumper seat, ready for use, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 3, the seat frame 16 and base 40 are in spaced parallel positions. Parallel movement between seat 16 and base 40 is guided by the link pairs 20, 22 and 28, 30. The spring bar 44 is pivoted to its forward position where it effectively is in an over-center or toggle-like relation tending to lock the linkage bail 54. The latch bar 46 retains the spring bar 44 within its notch preventing the spring bar from moving up out of its forward pivoted position.

As the child jumps down and up in the sling seat 34, the seat frame 16 falls and rises, respectively. The fall of the seat frame 16 is spring cushioned with a forward motion guided by the links 20, 22 and 28, 30. The

spring-cushion atcion is due to the over-center relation of the spring bar, which is flexed as the link bail 54 pivots with the links 20 and 28 but transversely thereto. Thus, the link bail 54 is pressed against the spring bar 44, transversely between the seat frame 16 and base 40, to yieldingly restrain the seat frame 16 from falling beyond a limited amount corresponding to the flexing of the spring.

To fold the seat, the latch bar 46 is released from engagement with the spring bar 44. The seat frame 16 is moved up and back (as illustrated in FIG. 4) to a position in which the spring bar 44 is pivoted out of its over-center forward position. By simple manipulation of the spring bar '44 or the link bail 54, the spring bar is pivoted to a rearward position, where the link bail 54 is unrestrained to pivot with the links 20 and 28 and without restraint on the seat frame 16 as it is lowered into folded condition (illustrated in FIG. 6). As the seat frame 16 folds down, the back rest bail 18 also folds 3 down to a compact position (illustrated by broken lines in FIG. 2).

To unfold the seat, the seat frame 16 is lifted to go through the above-described steps in reverse process. The seat frame is raised to the position illustrated in FIG. 4 in which the spring bar can be pivoted to its forward position and latched in place by the bar 46 as illustrated in FIG. 3.

In use, the jumper seat is safe and reliable inasmuch as the child is retained in a position with a low center of gravity on a broad base. The jumping of the child tends to maintain the spring in its latched position and prevent accidental folding.

The foregoing description is intended to be illustrative and not limiting on the scope of this invention; variations and modifications of the illustrated embodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. A childs jumper seat comprising a seat frame, a base, and means for resiliently and foldably connecting said seat frame to said base, said connecting means including a plurality of linking members pivotally connected to said base and seat frame to permit parallel movement thereof together and apart, a bar spring pivotally mounted on said base, and a linking bail connected between two of said linking members and said bar spring, said bail being pivoted to said bar spring and movable from one side to another of said spring with pivoting to different positions thereof, said bail being positioned transversely to said parallel movement to be substantially restrained by said spring in one of said different positions thereby to resiliently restrain said parallel movement together, said bail being positioned to be substantially unrestrained by said spring in another of said different positions thereby to permit said parallel movement together for folding.

2. A childs jumper seat as recited in claim 1 wherein said linking members include two links on each side of the base and seat frame.

3. A childs jumper seat as recited in claim 2 wherein said base and seat frame are U-shaped members, the former wider than the latter, said side links being attached to the outside of the arms of said seat frame and to the inside of the arms of said base.

4. A childs jumper seat as recited in claim 2 wherein the rearward ones of said links on each side are bent forwardly adjacent the base end thereof.

5. A childs jumper seat as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a latch for retaining said spring in said one position.

6. A childs jumper seat as recited in claim 1 wherein said base and seat frame each include a plurality of side arms to which said links are pivoted, said bar spring being pivotally mounted to said base side arms.

7. A childs jumper seat as recited in claim 6 wherein said linking bail is U-shaped and with the apex thereof connected to an intermediate portion of said spring bar.

8. A childs jumper seat as recited in claim 7 wherein said linking members include two links on each side of said base and seat frame, said spring bar is pivoted to said base between forward and rearward ones of said links, and the ends of said U-shaped bail are pivoted to said rearward links.

9. A childs jumper seat as recited in claim 6 and further comprising a pivoted latch bar having a notch for engaging said spring bar.

Gill Mar. 8, 1960 McClellan Mar. 14, 1961 

